Homophobic bullying thrives in schools

Lesbian and gay children are being driven out of school by homophobic bullying, the Guardian reports today.

Stonewall has estimated that 60,000 children are the victims of abuse from name-calling to “serious physical and sexual assaults”.

Although teachers are finally beginning to wise up to homophobic bullying, and the Government is focusing on it as part of it’s anti-bulling strategy, experts have called it the “last acceptable form of abuse and intimidation in the classroom”.

From the article:

“‘My IT [information technology] teacher used to think it was funny,’ said Simon, 16, who went to a south London comprehensive. ‘He wouldn’t actually join in but he would encourage the other lads in the class to have a go at me.

‘He knew what was going on but he never did anything to stop it. He used to leave the room for half an hour at a time even though I’d told him what would happen – that they would spit at me and call me names and throw pencils and stuff at me … He often used to laugh about it.'”

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